Yarra Bend Park

My friend decided to take me on a run round Yarra Bend Park as a break from my normal training and running routes. The most startling thing about Yarra park is that it is one of the hilliest areas in Melbourne (the flattest city I’ve lived in). This made for a cool change and also makes it a great place to run or cycle to get a different kind of training.
The park is pretty big and the views overlooking the city are pretty cool. It’s not as clean as some of the other parks across the city though. Yarra Bend Park is a nice little spot that if you haven’t had the chance to visit, then it’s definitely worth exploring.

The best thing to do on a summer day to escape the heat is get into some tree shade and near some running water. Fuck the beach! At least in this city — all sandy and polluted and flat and tepid water. What you wanna do right, is you wanna get down to Yarra Bend and languish under the dappled light of a tall gum tree while reading a book and sucking on an icy pole.
Yarra Bend has a history as an important indigenous meeting place and it’s obvious why. The area is strikingly beautiful and there’s even a but of undulation in the land forms here — pretty rare for this flat city. There’s these great little rapids at Dight’s Falls and heaps of walking and bike tracks for the adventurous. For me though, I’m the guy sipping on a cool drink in the shade. Ahh…

This is the perfect setting for a Sunday stroll. If you’ve been taking advantage of the sunshine lately and really want to get out and see more of your suburb, then the Yarra Bend walking trail has a lot to offer.
The track hugs the Yarra River and explores Melbourne’s unique Australian flora and fauna. It’s a great place to cycle, walk run and a good place to bring the dog although they must be kept on leash. There are water stations, bark benches and the occasional look put point for you to admire.
Caution: Snakes between the months of March to October, mostly brown tiger snakes, they are extremely common.

I love coming here, as soon as the weather gets good I’m making any excuse possible for a day out here.
This is a quiet park right off the eastern freeway. It’s close to the city, but feels like a whole new place. This park has bbq facilities with wooden tables under pavilions, there’s not too many spots so you might want to get in early if it’s going to be a long weekend (or exceptionally sunny day).
There’s also a café here that sits besides the river, where you can dine outside and enjoy the serenity. This is definitely perfect for families as there are bike trails, a playground and did I mention the rowboats for hire. Yes rowboats! There’s also fishing available, although I’m not sure if you would catch anything here.
If you don’t like bats, I probably would come here then. I was lying in the sun with my hunny after a lovely picnic, we didn’t notice anything at the time– but after careful inspection of the funny looking leaves on the trees, turns out they were bats. A hundred or more bats, hanging from the nearby trees sleeping. They weren’t scary, or noisy or obtrusive, it was just a surprise to see so many up close.
Bats aside, this is a lovely park. Perfect for whatever occasion.

The park is large, spreading across both sides of the Eastern Freeway. Since the review below has already talked about north of the freeway, I’ll discuss south, mainly the drive down Yarra Boulevard.
I would count this drive as one of the most beautiful places in Melbourne. I’ve taken quite a few people here, and had quite a few memorable moments happen. My old band even chose the hill above the main bend for its band photos, as the view over the city is quite spectacular.
My recommendation would be to go at night. Drive down the road in the dark and you can forget in just a few seconds that the CBD is just a few kilometres away. I always half expect a kangaroo to jump out at me. Once you get to the loop in the road, park your car and look out across the city. Maybe even scramble up the cliff behind you and check out the view from there.
I sound like I’m besotted with the park, and yes, I am. So why have I only given it three stars? Because it’s not a safe place to be. There are always cop cars parked along the road to catch the many many cars that drive far too fast around the bends. It’s a wonder there aren’t more accidents there. Also on one occasion, my car window was smashed in and my bag stolen. When I reported it to the police and told them where I’d left the car, they weren’t particularly surprised. There are often groups of shady looking characters sitting and «talking», which can be quite threatening if you’re alone at night. This is a shame, because it really is very beautiful.

In contrast to a lot of manmade parks around the city, Yarra Bend Park really feels a lot more natural and untouched.
I came here with my Geology class university for an excursion and really enjoyed my time here. Like I said, unlike most parks that are mainly flat, green, and used for picnics and leisure, this park is quite forest-​y and can be used for hiking along trails as well.
If you’re a Geology nut, look at the different rock types and patterns. You can also hike up to a few high points for a nice aerial view of the river and rest of the park down below.
Cons:
There is a LOT of trash that gets deposited along the banks of the river. It’s pretty sad and depressing actually but I really wish there could be some sort of public project to help clean it up.
—
However, despite the trash and plastic, for the most park Yarra Bend Park is a very scenic adventure that is rarity so close to the city. I do recommend a trip if you’re looking for a nice change from say, Carlton Gardens.